I first saw this film last summer and was shocked that I had never seen it before. It’s so my kind of film, but somehow over the years it slipped past my radar. It’s one of those films that is insanely touching, without once ever being schmaltzy. This post is spoilery.

Joan: Are you a friend of Biswangers?Ned Merrill: They’re not even on our Christmas card list.Joan: Then what are you?Ned Merrill: I’m an explorer.Joan: No, I mean, what are you doing here?Ned Merrill: I’m swimming home.Joan:You, uh, you married?Ned Merrill: What’s that got to do with it?Joan: Are you divorced? What?Ned Merrill: Do you wanna come with me?Joan: Where?Ned Merrill: A long a river of sapphire pools.Joan: I never heard anyone talk like you.Ned Merrill: Come with me. Be my lover.Joan: Oh. That I’ve heard before.Ned Merrill: Not from me.Joan: You’re no different than any other guy.Ned Merrill: Oh, but I am. I’m a very special human being.

[Arly throws a knife at Rocklin; He swoops her up and kisses her.]Rocklin: I reckon you forgot something. You just fired me.[Dave runs in.]Dave: Hey Rock! He got away, but guess. . .what.Rocklin: You guess.

I saw this one for the first time a few years back when Michael Fassbender was in all the movies and I was doing some catch up (still haven’t seen all his films, though). This one really struck a chord with me because it’s a nice riff on the Angry Young Man/Kitchen Sink/British New Wave films of the late-50s/early-60s, but with a female protagonist and a female filmmaker, which gives a whole other perspective to the angst of the youth of this socioeconomic class. Beware, there be spoilers after the cut.